


Skipping Steps

by GhostGarrison



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fake/Pretend Relationship, M/M, Surprise Kissing, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-03
Updated: 2017-08-03
Packaged: 2018-12-10 11:14:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11690481
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GhostGarrison/pseuds/GhostGarrison
Summary: While Hawke flirts with someone else, Anders sits at the bar and considers going home. That is, until a handsome man named Karl sits next to him. But before they can even talk, a drunken man hits on Anders and Karl is thankfully into playing his fake boyfriend, kisses and petnames included.





	Skipping Steps

It’s Friday night and the pub’s scene is crowded and boisterous. Anders sits by himself at the bar, stirring his whiskey sour with the little plastic stir stick and watching the ice melt into the amber liquid. He came to the pub with Hawke, but she’s moved on to chat up the beauty with the bandana at the end of the bar.

“She’s been giving me bedroom eyes this whole time,” Hawke told him before ordering another strong mixed drink to take with her. “You don’t mind, do you?”

And he doesn’t. Years ago, in the peak of his rebellious and energetic youth, he’d be doing exactly what she’s doing. He’d hang around pubs and pick up whoever to warm his bed and his body for the night. He’d do it more, even now, but the last few one-night stands have had unexpectedly messy endings. There was waking up next to one of his professors, or that time when the woman brought him home to immediately meet her parents, and he could never forget the scandal with the mayor’s son.

He sighs, wondering if he should just go home for the night since it’s quite obvious that Hawke is going to spend the night with the woman who now has her hand high on Hawke’s inner thigh.

Anders is about to reach for his wallet to leave Corff a tip when a handsome man takes the seat next to him, setting his glass of straight bourbon next to Anders’ nearly empty one. The man has crystal blue eyes that glint even in the low light of the pub and a strong jaw edged with an even stronger beard. Almost instantly Anders feels interest brewing in his gut, more than he’s felt in quite a while.

 _‘Who knows,’_ Anders thinks, _‘maybe tonight will be different.’_

Right as the man opens his mouth to say something, Anders’ vision is flooded by a new face.

“Hey gorgeous,” the new man says, stumbling in and leaning his entire body against the edge of the bar, separating the two of them. His hair and clothes are a mess and his breath reeks of alcohol, it’s clear that this man is drunk off his ass. “I’ve seen you ‘round here before. I think. Sometimes all you pretty people look th’ same.”

Anders holds back an irritated groan, keeping his growing disgust for this stranger internal.

“How’d you like a run at _this?_ ” the man asks, pulling another gulp of what must be his fifth or sixth beer of the night before belching.

“‘This?’” Anders asks, his brow twitching as he hopes the man doesn’t mean what he thinks he means.

“ _This,_ ” the man repeats, gesturing to his whole self with a sloppy flourish. Anders cringes at the gross sense of entitlement this man has, and he notices the other man shake his head behind him. But the drunken man doesn’t seem to notice both of their disgust. “You, me, a bed. Yeah?”

“No,” Anders answers flatly. He doesn’t have patience for assholes like this. He’s dealt with them many times before during his own bar-crawling exploits, but he feels his tolerance for it draining quickly. “Absolutely not.”

“What? Why not!” The drunken man asks, sounding a little more angry and offended than he has a right to be. He straightens up his posture and scarily looks a few degrees more sober. “I know you, I know you would.”

 _‘Yeah, but like five years ago,’_ Anders’ mind retorts, but he keeps that quiet.

“It’s not like yer here with anyone else!” the drunken man shouts before turning his glare to the handsome man behind Anders. “What, is he your boyfriend or somthin’?”

Feeling more fed up than he ever has, something inside Anders snaps. 

“Yeah, he is!” he says sharply before spinning in his seat to pull the handsome man in for a rough kiss. The man stills under his hands. When they pull apart, Anders sees that the handsome man is stunned.

Whoops.

“I, uh,” Anders begins, quiet enough for only them to hear, but he’s cut short when the handsome man pulls him in for a second, more hungry kiss. This time it’s Anders who is stunned, but not enough to keep him from returning the kiss that threatens to devour him. When they part again, Anders is nearly left breathless, his eyes tracking the man’s blue eyes that seemingly echo the same thing in Anders’ heart.

 _Well then._ Anders knows where he wants this night to go.

“That’s a fucking lie!” The drunken man shouts.

“Serah, you’re causing a scene,” says the handsome man, now with his arm wrapped around Anders’ waist as if they truly were lovers. “I think it’s time for you to go home.”

“No,” the drunken man says, staggering closer to the handsome man. He jabs a finger at the handsome man’s chest. “No, _you_ go home! Fucking liars!”

The bartender comes by, looking stern and unhappy. “ _Karl,_ ” Corff warns to the handsome man, glancing toward the increasingly angry drunken man whose fist is closed tightly around his glass. “Something wrong here, gentlemen?”

“I think we were just leaving,” Anders answers for the both of them, standing and taking Karl’s hand in his. The man’s hand is warm and his fingers thread through Anders’ and don’t let go. “ _Love,_ ” he says, emphasizing the fake petname for theatrical effect, “I think we could have more _fun_ at _home,_ don’t you?”

“Of course,” Karl says in return without missing a beat, following Anders’ cue to head toward the exit together. Already Anders feels more relieved about the situation, but the feeling is quickly replaced by wondering what he’s going to say to this stranger, Karl, after helping him out of this.

“Fuck you!” The drunken man shouts after them, but neither look back. “You’re missing out on some quality d―!”

The bar door swings shut behind them.

It’s chilly out when they reach the street, but the fresh air and quiet road are refreshing and welcomed. Anders lets go of Karl’s hand, noting how the man’s fingers linger over his before parting completely.

A few beats of silence pass before Karl speaks. “Well,” he begins, a little sheepishly. “He was a real asshole, wasn’t he?”

“Yeah. Sorry about that,” Anders says, giving him an uneasy smile before sighing. “You didn’t have to play along like that, but thank you.”

“Don’t get me wrong,” Karl says, shoving his hands in his jacket pockets and shrugging. “I was absolutely going to try to pick you up tonight. I just never thought we’d immediately skip a few steps. A _lot_ of steps.”

“Really?” Anders asks. He knew Karl sat next to him for a reason, but he’s a little surprised to hear it said so plainly. Anders considers things for a moment―the man is kind, rather a gentleman even when dealing with an asshole, and Anders already knows he’s a damned good kisser. “How about we try again?”

“What?” Karl says, looking at him curiously.

“I know there’s another bar down the street,” Anders says. “We could have a real introduction there. Who knows where it might go from there.”

Karl smiles at him. “Sure.”

**Author's Note:**

> for drawsshits' prompt
> 
> a little silly but i hope they flirt a lot before going home and having good sweaty sex A+++
> 
> find me on tumblr @ storybookhawke


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